title: Dissociative symptoms over a year in a sample of sexually abused children.
abstract: This study aims to document the evolution of dissociative symptoms over time in preschoolers who disclose sexual abuse. Specifically, this study explores the frequency of dissociative symptoms as a function of child gender. A follow-up evaluation was conducted 1 year after initial disclosure among a sample of 48 sexually abused children, and their results were contrasted with those of a control group composed of 71 non abused children. Children's dissociative symptoms were evaluated by non-offending parents. Data showed that children reporting sexual abuse displayed a greater frequency of dissociative symptoms than non-sexually abused children at both evaluation times. Further analysis indicated that the evolution of dissociative symptoms in sexually abused children may be gender related. Although a decline in dissociation symptoms over time was evident for sexually abused girls at follow-up, sexually abused boys displayed greater dissociative symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for interventions for sexually abused children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec, Canada. marie-josee.bernier@live.ca
authors.forename: Marie-Josée
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Collin-Vézina
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors